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Mogilev grain dryers use straw as fuel

During the 2008 harvesting campaign grain dryers in ten agricultural companies of the Mogilev oblast have been converted to operate on straw. Two more grain dryers are completing the assemblage of stoves running on straw (BHC-1.5), BelTA learnt in the energy and fuel department of the oblast executive committee. After the installation of all modernized equipment, the oblast 17 grain dryers will use on straw as a fuel. The oblast has been implementing a project of the Belarusian State Agricultural Academy and specialists of Mogilev-based Agrocomplex on converting liquid fuel grain dryers to operate on straw. Last year, first grain dryers running on straw processed nearly 15 thousand tonnes of grain what saved more than 160 tonnes of liquid fuel of the total Br230 million. This year, specialists expect bigger effect from using straw-running energy saving stoves for reequipping grain dryers M-819. In case the advanced versions give good account this year, Agrocomplex plans to raise the output up to 15 units per year. The cost of such equipment is quite high – Br85 million, but the payback period makes up two or three years, specialists note.